In recent years, many bobsleds used in international competition have been manufactured in Italy. Bobsled teams from other countries have found it convenient to purchase these bobsleds and make aerodynamic and engineering changes, rather than to engage in the development of an entirely new bobsled. An exception to this approach was exemplified by the East German sleds that were used in the 1980 Olympic competition. The success of the East Germans was due to technological improvements, including better aerodynamic design and an independent suspension, coupled with superior driver skills. Other developments in bobsled technology have been provided in the area of the runners. There has not been, however, comparable development of the steering and control system which melds the driver to his sled. Generally, bobsleds have included controls for the front runners only, with the brakeman being required to skid or jump the rear end of the sled laterally in the turns to direct the rear runners in following the general path of the front runners. The physical connections to the front runners have been made through a pair of hand ropes, one being held in the right hand of the driver and the other being held in the left hand. The front runners have been mounted on an H-shaped frame that is supported at its geometrical center to pivot right or left in the horizontal plane, as well as up and down in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sled. The rear runners have also been connected to an H-shaped frame supported at its geometrical center, however, this frame has not been connected to the steering ropes.
With such a control system, the rear runners may skid or edge causing loss of speed. Nor is it possible to reach, or approach, an ideal steering position wherein the rear runners track on a thin film of water left by the track of the front runners. With a steering system such as described, it is possible that one of the hand ropes could be dropped during a run, and would then be very difficult to retrieve.